Whenever one of the Big Two decide to put out a weekly series, it’s more often than not just a passable adventure that is designed to either A) give the regular creative teams time to catch up, B) tie into an upcoming media project starring the characters, or C) all of the above. Usually it’s not a series that’s designed to have many lasting complications to the main one, and rarely worth the price of all of the issues. But Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit has been a surprisingly refreshing change of pace for this kind of publishing project, showcasing a fun adventure that has little to no prior reading requirements. While the jury is out on if anything that happens in this will be addressed in Catwoman, Harley Quinn, or Poison Ivy’s solo series, it’s hard to argue against how fun Unfit For Orbit has been.
The Sirens are locked in battle with Despero as the Lunaria continues the ascent into space. Time is working against them, as Ivy battles her way to the command center while Catwoman and Harley take on Despero physically and psychically, respectively. The trio work together in their own bizarre way, taking down Despero and his forces and saving the planet in the process. But now they have to get back to Earth in a way that won’t kill them or any innocent bystanders. Since none of them have any abilities that could help them in this situation (even with power booster The Conduit near them), they quickly realize they need to turn to someone to help them out. Luckily for them Harley has the answer, and it’s a very fun surprise to see this character to show up.
I won’t spoil who comes to assist the Sirens, but I will say that Williams’ script is really fantastic in this issue. While some may see the guest star’s arrival to be a bit of a “deus ex superhero”, I found it to be a funny nod to Harley’s history in the DC, and a nice check in with one of the few characters that’s been pushed to the side during “All In”. After some shaky middle issues, Williams really comes through in this concluding chapter, delivering a script that is well paced and allows for some genuinely sweet moments with The Conduit. The highlight of the series has been the ways Williams plays with the banter of the Sirens, and the moments in the final pages are so good that I wished we were getting another miniseries with these characters next month, just so I could witness them all interact again.
DC
Have you guys heard about this Haining artist? I don’t think I’ve mentioned her in any of these reviews, which is weird because of how good she is (this is what we call “sarcasm”, folks). Seriously though, what else is there left for me to say about Haining’s art that I haven’t already said? It’s thrilling and extremely dynamic, adding just as much dramatic heft to the Sirens trying to get Lunaria down safely as their battle with Despero. Haining really swung for the fences with this issue, and made an impressive name for herself going forward. I’m absolutely dying to know what she has planned next in comics, and truly think that in a few years’ time Haining will be one of the most in-demand artists in the industry.
While Gotham City Sirens: Unfit for Orbit may have had a few rough patches in the series, overall the story has been a lot of fun, and a great entry point for anyone who’s wanted to check out any of the ladies’ individual series. While I doubt we’ll see any ramifications from this story pan out in those books, I wouldn’t be surprised if Williams’ brings some of the ending here into another story with the Sirens next year. I know that if she does, I’ll definitely check it out.
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